Cyber security | 03 October 2024

The UK stands out as the most targeted country in Europe, which is already the region most impacted by cyber incidents. The energy industry, in particular, is a major target for these attacks, as highlighted in IBM's X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2024.

The complexity of systems and reliance on older operational technology (OT) make them susceptible to exploitation. Threat actors, understanding the critical nature of these systems, often demand ransoms, knowing they will be paid to minimise downtime.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), ransomware poses the biggest threat to the UK's critical infrastructure. While some companies experience direct malware attacks, there is also a growing risk to the OT supply chain. Suppliers and smaller companies supporting energy and utilities are increasingly targeted as they often lack necessary cybersecurity measures. This vulnerability makes them easy entry points for infiltrating larger critical infrastructure organisations.

The guardians of the UK's critical national infrastructure (CNI) are facing a monumental shift. Gone are the days when protecting physical assets alone was enough to ward off potential dangers. With the rapid digitisation of infrastructure, our essential services now dance on the edge of a digital precipice, vulnerable to unseen adversaries lurking in the shadows of cyberspace.

In its recent Annual Review, the NCSC issued a sobering reminder, stressing the urgent need for the UK to ramp up efforts to combat evolving cyber threats. This call to action is particularly pressing in enhancing cyber resilience across the nation's most critical sectors.

However, there is a glimmer of hope with the Cyber Security Management System (CSMS). Designed to suit the rugged environment of operational technology (OT) systems, CSMS acts as a crucial defence against the persistent threat of cyber disruptions.

What are Cyber Security Management Systems?

In OT systems, one of the significant challenges lies in something called obsolescence. Much of the equipment used in Industrial Automation still operates on outdated operating systems devised long before the conception of many contemporary cyber threats.

In instances where these legacy systems lack recent updates, they stand vulnerable to various forms of cyberattacks developed in recent years, including everything from malware infections to ransomware infiltrations. Such vulnerability leaves a door wide open for potential cyber-attacks, with potentially disastrous consequences if left unaddressed.

Compliance with the IEC 62443 standard necessitates the implementation of a Cyber Security Management System (CSMS) to oversee all facets of Cyber Security within an Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) domain.

However, establishing a CSMS can be difficult, especially if you don't have sufficient resources, expertise, or awareness of cybersecurity best practices. Fortunately, Asset Guardian, the preferred partner for organisations worldwide when it comes to safeguarding process control software assets, speeding disaster recovery, and optimising change management, has extensive experience in this area, making us well-equipped to offer five valuable tips for implementing CSMS in OT environments.

1. Establish and Maintain a Comprehensive Cyber Inventory

The crucial first step in establishing effective cybersecurity management is creating a comprehensive inventory of all OT assets. This inventory should include equipment, systems, and devices to give a full picture of the current infrastructure. It is important not just to list these assets but also to categorise them based on factors such as security levels, zones, and conduits within the network. This categorisation helps prioritise cybersecurity efforts, focusing resources on protecting the most critical assets and areas of vulnerability.

Regularly updating this inventory is equally important to maintain its accuracy and completeness over time. As OT environments evolve with technological advancements and organisational changes, new assets may be added, while existing ones may undergo modifications or become obsolete. By consistently updating the inventory, organisations can adapt to these changes and maintain an up-to-date understanding of their OT infrastructure, thereby improving their ability to manage cybersecurity effectively.

2. Conduct Risk Assessments and Prioritise Actions

Using the information gathered from the cyber inventory, organisations can conduct thorough risk assessments of their OT environment. These assessments involve analysing the vulnerabilities and threats present within the OT infrastructure, considering factors such as outdated software, weak access controls, and susceptibility to external attacks. By identifying these potential risks, organisations can gain insight into the security posture of their OT systems and prioritise actions to address them effectively.

During the risk assessment process, it's important to consider the potential impact of identified vulnerabilities on critical operations. Some vulnerabilities may pose a higher risk to the functionality, safety, or integrity of essential processes within the OT environment than others. By assessing these risks, organisations can prioritise actions based on the level of threat they pose to critical operations. This prioritisation ensures that resources are allocated strategically, focusing on mitigating the most significant risks first to maximise the impact of cybersecurity efforts.

Addressing the highest-risk areas first allows organisations to strengthen their cybersecurity posture more effectively and efficiently. By targeting vulnerabilities that have the potential to cause the most significant harm to critical operations, organisations can reduce the likelihood of successful cyber-attacks and minimise the potential impact on business continuity.

3. Monitor and Mitigate Vulnerabilities

The introduction of a continuous monitoring system is crucial for maintaining the security of OT environments. By continuously monitoring various sources of threat intelligence, organisations can stay informed about published vulnerabilities relevant to their OT systems. This proactive approach allows for quick identification of emerging threats so that organisations can take swift action to mitigate potential risks and sure up their internal infrastructure.

Regularly checking the cyber inventory for vulnerabilities is key to identifying security weaknesses within OT assets. By conducting routine vulnerability checks, organisations can discover vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. This allows for timely remediation actions to be taken, reducing the likelihood of successful cyber attacks targeting critical systems.

Appropriate patches and timely updates are fundamental to vulnerability management in OT environments. When security patches or updates are released, organisations should promptly apply them to address known vulnerabilities and strengthen the security of critical systems. This proactive approach helps to minimise the window of opportunity for cyber attackers and reduces the risk of potential security breaches.

4. Implement Robust Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans

Developing comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans tailored specifically to the OT environment is another key step to maintaining critical infrastructure's resilience against cyber threats. These plans go beyond traditional IT-focused approaches and address the unique challenges associated with OT systems, which often control essential processes in industries such as energy, manufacturing, and utilities.

These plans should outline detailed procedures for responding to cyber incidents that may compromise the integrity or availability of OT systems. This includes establishing clear protocols for incident detection, response, and escalation, as well as defining roles and responsibilities for key personnel involved in the recovery process. By having predefined procedures in place, organisations can respond promptly and effectively to cyber incidents, minimising the impact on operations and reducing downtime. 

In addition to incident response procedures, disaster recovery and business continuity plans for OT environments should also include strategies for restoring operations and minimising downtime following a cyber-attack. This may involve deploying backup systems, restoring data from offline backups, and implementing temporary workarounds to maintain critical functions while systems are being restored. By having predefined recovery strategies in place, organisations can speed up the recovery process and minimise the disruption caused by cyber incidents.

Regularly testing these plans through simulated exercises is the final step to assuring their effectiveness and relevance in real-world scenarios. By conducting tabletop exercises or simulated cyber-attack scenarios, organisations can identify gaps or weaknesses in their disaster recovery and business continuity plans and make necessary improvements. These exercises also provide an opportunity for key personnel to familiarise themselves with their roles and responsibilities during a cyber incident, improving overall readiness and response capabilities.

5. Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities

As already mentioned, clear roles and responsibilities are absolutely essential for effective cybersecurity management. By clearly outlining who is responsible for what tasks, organisations can ensure accountability and streamline communication during cybersecurity operations. More importantly, ensuring that all stakeholders understand their roles and receive adequate training is essential for promoting a coordinated and proactive approach to cybersecurity management.

Personnel involved in cybersecurity within the OT environment should receive comprehensive training on cybersecurity best practices, OT-specific threats and vulnerabilities, and the organisation's policies and procedures. This training equips them with the knowledge and skills to effectively fulfil their responsibilities and promptly and appropriately respond to cybersecurity incidents.

The Asset Guardian Solution

With these five tips, organisations can strengthen their cybersecurity posture in OT environments, mitigating the risk of cyber threats and safeguarding critical infrastructure. 

Asset Guardian, developed by control and automation engineers, offers a unique solution for managing software and hardware configurations in safety and critical control systems. Our solution ensures compliance with industry standards and best practices, simplifies disaster recovery, and improves configuration change management. By centralising software assets in a secure repository, we minimise the risk of cyber-attacks and enable seamless recovery in case of corruption. With version control and tamper-proof auditability, Asset Guardian ensures consistent utilisation of the correct software version across all locations, effectively safeguarding critical assets.

Looking for an OT Cybersecurity solution? Get in touch today.